UP Election 2017: BJP wave in state similar to 2014 Lok Sabha polls, says Ananth Kumar

Varanasi: Buoyed by the favourable outcomes in the Maharashtra and Odisha local body polls, Union minister Ananth Kumar on Friday said there is a pro-BJP wave in Uttar Pradesh also akin to the one in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He said SP-Congress alliance is a "life-taking" grouping while BJP is a "life-saving" party. He urged the people to oust the Samajwadi Party government and vote for BJP to "free the state from lawlessness and goondaism".

Representational image. PTI

Addressing a press conference, the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers also took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi by referring to Congress leader Sheila Dikshit's remarks. The former Delhi CM in a recent interview said Rahul was "not yet mature and he needs some time". "I ask when will he mature if not at age of 45-46 years," Kumar said. He said the "overwhelming" support "from the people of Maharashtra and Odisha in civic polls has made it clear that there was a "strong wave" in favour of the BJP.

He accused the Akhilesh Yadav government of creating hindrance to the development works sponsored by the by the Centre. He alleged that the state government was not providing land for setting up Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology (CIPET) here despite several request letters sent to the chief minister. He said the Centre was making efforts to revive the three fertiliser units – Gorakhpur & Sindri units of FCIL (Fertilizer Corporation Of India Ltd) - and Baruni unit of HFCL (Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Ltd).

BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Bhupendra Yadav said that during 2012 Assembly elections, Akhilesh Yadav had promised that if SP comes to power, it will form a special committee to probe "corruption" during the Mayawati rule.

"But the SP government didn't form any committee to probe the corruption allegations despite the Lokayukta nod into the matter," he said. He alleged that there was a "secret pact" between SP and BSP.